Rise of Death: Fall of New Avalon
by JaffaArchfiend
Summary: This is the story of how the Death Knights took claim of Acherus...but not before they slaughtered the last remnants of life in the Plaguelands. This follows the actions of the Sin'dorei Death Knight Angealion. What secrets does a Death Knights mind hold?


Hey guys, I just thought I'd stick this out there...this is kinda like a character bio for my main character on the MMO World of Warcraft. Just felt like sticking it up here, see what you guys think...Anyways, enjoy the slaughter and destruction!

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**Rise of Death: Fall of New Avalon**

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"Rise blood elf. Rise and serve the Lich King." intoned an echoing voice. All he could see was darkness, then there was a faint blue light.

"Rise, and become the engine of death you are meant to be." the voice said. The light became brighter and then the elf awoke. His skin looked quite pale. His dark hair was done in what was known as a falcon style, and he had a small tuft of hair. He hadn't felt the need to groom it into some ridiculous style like the rest of his kin.

He was lying in a pool of what he guessed to be blood, surrounded by six of the ghoulish undead. In front of him were two humanoids. One was garbed in a black robe and hood that accentuated her figure but covered any chance of identifying what race she was. The other was clearly human. He had glowing blue eyes, and wore blue coloured plated armour.

"Unh..." the elf groaned as he stood up.

"This one appears to be damaged master." the woman said, a note of disgust in her voice.

"I am not damaged human...just disorientated." the elf growled, going for a general guess as to what the woman was. "Now call off these undead before I kill you myself."

The armoured human gave a sinister grin. "First a test. Whom do you serve elf?"

The blood elf thought for a second. "I serve the Lich King." he said.

"Do you remember who you are?" the human asked.

"I am Angealion of the Sin'dorei." the elf said proudly.

The human then threw him a two handed sword and then flicked a finger. The ghouls surrounding him leapt forward.

Angealion took hold of his sword and made a quick spin, dispatching two of the ghouls. He then made a downward slice, taking down a third. Following that he swung his blade to the left and behind him into his right hand, taking out another two ghouls. There was one left. Angealion thrust his blade into its head, all the way to the blade's hilt.

"Not bad...but we can improve on your technique elf." the human said satisfied. "Garb this one in the armour befitting a champion of the Scourge." he said to the woman before going over to another necromancer.

The woman knelt over to a crate and pulled out some armour. "Arms out." she ordered.

"I'm perfectly able to put on my armour myself." he said, but he did as he was asked anyway. The woman garbed him in a dark robe and then affixed some plate pauldrons on his shoulders. Next were some fingerless gauntlets, then toeless boots. Angealion poked at the armour. "I hardly think cloth is going to help against a sword."

The woman gave him an evil glare through her hood. "That's not cloth fool. It is highly refined plate armour. Let me demonstrate." she said suddenly stabbing a dagger from inside her robes at the chestpiece. Before he could react the dagger bounced off of the chest piece.

"I don't appreciate almost being killed just to prove a point." he growled grabbing the woman's wrist. He clenched down on it, causing her to drop the knife. She looked into the elfs eyes, a glimpse of fear in them. "Be glad I do not kill you right on this spot human. I don't know what other Sin'dorei you may have raised, but I can guarentee you this one thing. I am nothing like those effeminate bastards." he said casting her wrist aside, and making her collapse onto the ground.

"Blood elf!" barked the armoured human. "Time to get yourself a proper blade. Pick a blade from any on the racks around here, and then place it within the Runeforges around here. Double time! We have an apocalypse to start."

Angealion left the necromancer to pick herself up as he perused the blades on the racks. He eventually found one that seemed familiar to him. It was a slightly ornamented sword. The hilt resembled a set of bird wings, the handle forming the birds tail feathers and body. The beak extended onto the blade itself. The silver blade looked more practical than the hilt.

"Ah, I see you managed to find it." the necromancer said, following him.

"Why are you following me human, and what do you mean 'I found it'?" Angealion asked, still getting a sense of familiarity about the blade.

"Every Death Knight recieves a necromancer when they are brought back into this world. It is our duty to maintain your armour, weaponry, and bring you back should you fall in the Master's service." the woman explained. "And for your information, I am not human. I am a High Elf." she said, pulling back her hood enough to reveal her pointed ears.

Angealion remembered that in life this would have been funny. Humour...an emotion lost now. But he laughed anyway.

"Ironic that they have a High Elf serving a Blood Elf considering the tensions between our now seperated peoples. Now about this blade?" he asked, hefting the ornate sword.

"That was your blade in life before your service to the Lich King." she replied.

"Then I shall wield it in his service. Fitting that a blade once opposed to our Master should now serve him."

"Like yourself." the High Elf stated as they walked over to a Runeforge. "Simply place the entire sword within the forge. I'd advise keeping your fingers clear. I'm not that good of a seamstress that I can reattach new fingers should you lose them."

Angealion placed the sword with the Runeforge and it then started to float within the dark energies. After a minute the blade floated out of the forge. The once golden hilt was now a darkened gold, and was tinged with red on its edges. The blade was a dark silver. The bird wings that once were smooth were now jagged, and the bird head upon the blade was now a horned bird's skull.

"The Runeforge has transformed the blade into a weapon befitting a Death Knight. Now you must emblazon it with runes." the necromancer explained. "This tome details the runes available to you at this stage in your powers." she said handing Angealion a book. He leafed through it, until he found one that seemed useful to him.

"Razorice looks most promising." Angealion said. "Now how do I go about placing it upon my weapon?"

"Simply place the blade within the Runeforge and intone the rune you wish to engrave. Not the entire weapon, just the blade portion." the High Elf stated.

Angealion did so, and soon enough his blade was engulfed within a chilling blue light. It left behind a slow trail of ice as he swung it experimentally.

"Blood elf!" barked the human.

"Who is this human? If he continues to bark at me I may just have to muzzle him." Angealion asked as he and the necromancer walked to the human, passing by other Death Knights of various races training their skills against wooden posts, their own necromancers standing by in case anything was required.

"He is Instructor Razuvious. I would not anger him milord. He is one of the first Death Knights to be raised by the Lich King, back at the beginning of his reign." the necromancer explained.

"Before we go any further, I would have your name. It seems cumbersome to keep calling you High Elf, or necromancer." Angealion said before they got to Razuvious. "Later I would hear where you were taught your skills. I would know what my servant is capable of."

"My name is Solana milord. And I am only your servant for as long as the Cult of the Damned sees fit." the woman said, fuming at being called a servant. She was a necromancer for Ner'zhul's sake.

"Blood elf. I see that your necromancer has made you familiar with the basics of emblazoning a rune onto your weapon...an interesting choice. Most of the recruits have gone with Cinderglaizer." Razuvious stated.

"I felt that freezing my enemies as they attacked would make their suffering so much more...tortured." Angealion said.

Razuvious laughed. "As good a reason as any!"

There was then a bellow of horns. And winged ghost like women appeared from below the floor.

"Val'kyr milord." Solan explained in a whisper. "The newest agents of the Lich King. They can raise whole armies from the freshly dead."

"Feeling obsolete Solana?" Angealion asked, again his memories of emotions making him feel now would be a good time for more humour, with a hint of a barb.

Solana scoffed. "The Cult of the Damned will always be superior in the dark arts over some winged ghost. They may be able to raise armies, but they need relatively fresh dead. The Cult can raise long dead bodies. In fact, our magics extend beyond the raising of dead. We are the ones who raise the Necropolii such as this one from the ground upon their completion."

By now everyone in the room had stopped what they were doing and were watching the Val'kyr.

"Warriors of the Scourge! It is time! The time has come to show the fools of the Scarlet Crusade why the Scourge will never be defeated! March down upon their New Avalon, and raze it to the ground!" the Val'kyr intoned as one. "Leave none alive! For the glory of the Lich King!"

The Death Knights all cheered as one and moved towards the waiting Skeletal Gryphons.

"Will you and the rest of the Cult be accompanying us?" Angealion asked the High Elf.

"No milord. We have duties requiring us to remain here. There will be Cultists down there, but they will be battle Cultists. Those of us serving the Death Knights are designated to remain on the Necropolis. When you return I will have your chambers prepared." Solana said bitterly before turning and leaving through a transporter in the room. Angealion shrugged and made his way to a Gryphon. Time to bring death to the living.

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It had been a few days since the day of his rebirth. Angealion remembered well the screams that greeted his ears as the humans below them saw the legion of dead approach from the heavens above. The first wave of Death Knights swept away the human resistance directly below Acherus. Then the ghouls and ghasts did their work alongside the cultists in preparing a base of operations upon the ground. The Death Knights were granted the task of repelling any and all who would see the base's construction stopped. It proved to be very bloody work. Every body that was made, the ghasts that were not working on the base dragged the bodies to a large pit that had been dug early on. Probably for future use as stock for the army.

Now the base was secure after a few days, the Death Knights recieved orders from the San'layn. The San'layn were undead blood elves of a different variety to those blood elves in the service of the Ligh King as Death Knights. Regardless, the San'layn decided to first cut off the supply lines to the town of New Avalon. Death Knights were ordered to take out any and all resistance upon the farmlands, the mines and anywhere else the humans wandered outside of their walls. To insure their work went about undisturbed, the San'layn sent wave after wave of ghouls at the walls of the town.

Every so often, Death Knights would be pulled from their tasks of slaughtering the humans to steal several horses for themselves and their brethren. These would become their Deathchargers, once the Death Knights had won them from the Dark Riders of Acherus that transformed the stolen horses. Again Angealion felt a sense of familiarity as he aquired one of the horses. It was a black horse that seemed to recognise the person riding it. When Angealion went into the Shadow Realm to reclaim the steed from the Dark Riders, he still felt that same familiar feel. Maybe the necromancer would explain it to him. He clutched the crystal that his new mount had come with. He could sense the creature within. It was an efficient way to transport a horse around, providing they were of the Shadow Realm variety.

His shift done, he returned to Acherus and went to his chambers. Waiting within was Solana, who had forgone the hood and face mask in the privacy of her lords chambers. Her light brown hair cascaded down her shoulders. His chambers were sparse. There was a single bed, a chair and desk, an armour dummy to hold his armour when he wasn't wearing it and a single light in the ceiling of the room.

"Maybe you can explain this, since you seem more familiar with my past then I am." Angealion said tossing her the crystal.

Solana examined it. "Ah. Yes I see now. This used to be your horse in life as well. You seem to have a knack for finding loose ends from you past life milord. I can only assume the Scarlet Crusade stole it from you after you had died."

"I was working with the Scarlet Crusade?" he asked, undressing himself. Even dead he still needed to rest now and then.

"No milord. You were simply here on assignment when you stumbled upon a Scourge camp close to Tyr's Hand. You brought down two Abominations, three Crypt Fiends and twelve ghouls and ghasts each before being brought down." she said handing him the crystal back. "As for familiarity with your life...that's a tale for another day milord. You were wanting to know earlier my training as a Cultist." she said sitting down in the chair opposite him as he sat on the bed.

"Indeed. I'm assuming you trained at Scholomance?" he asked.

"The very same milord, as did many other cultists." she replied.

"Tell me...are you and the other cultists all alive? It's just I could swear some of you are dead." Angealion asked.

Solana chuckled. It sounded like gentle bells. "We are all alive milord. It is our wish to join the ranks of the undead sorcerors and liches. Those of us whom you assume to already be dead are not. Unless you mean the Cultists from the Forsaken, in which case you are correct...but they carry out the duties befitting one of us who has already gained the gift of immortality."

"I see. So what exactly can you do?" he asked.

"Myself milord...well I can obviously bring the dead to life, although not as rapidly as the Battlefield Cultists. I am what you would call in that regard a Ritual Cultist. Our rebirths are much more lasting and permanent than the ghouls that are raised rapidly for battle. But we can conduct ourselves well in battle. I personally know Shadowbolt Volley, the regular Shadowbolt, Fear, Curse of Agony, Death Coil -" she stopped as Angealion held up his hand for silence.

"So I count on you should I need you for a fight?" he asked.

"I suppose so milord." Solana replied.

"Have you ever been in battle?" Angealion asked. Here was the cincher.

"Before I joined the Cult, I served on many battlefields milord, including beyond this world in Outland."

"What were you then if not a necromancer? A mage or something?" he asked.

"I was a mage milord..and before you ask, I still recall the spells from before I became a necromancer as well."

"A High Elven mage...the withdrawls?" he asked. Curious that he did not feel too much a pang for magical energy.

"No withdrawel symptoms milord, for a few reasons. First of all the Sunwell has been restored somewhat. And secondly, I draw upon the energies of the dead should I feel the need for mana." Solana explained.

"Hmmph. Very well then. I will retire for the night. Wake me should I be called back to battle." Angealion said, going under the covers of his bed.

Solana stood up, replaced her face mask and hood, bowed and left the chamber. "Good night milord Angealion." she said quietly before closing the door.

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A few days later and Angealion was called back to the front lines. By now the foothold they had constructed days before had now become a stronghold, and the grip of the Scourge now extended almost up to the very walls of New Avalon. It appeared that several Death Knights were needed to gather materials for several plague cauldrons. He left alongside a Troll Death Knight by the name of Zorendiil for their part of the gathering. His Runeblade wasn't a sword or an axe. It was a double ended halberd with an elongated skull stretching across from the top of the pole to the base of the blade on both ends. He also carried a crude dagger at his side. No doubt in case he lost the polearm. Or for whatever reason a Troll needed a dagger for.

"So which ones you be wantin to grab mon?" Zorendiil asked as they rode towards the town by way of a back route. It avoided the main body of fighting and their mission required them to get the items through stealth. A prospect neither was interested in, but it was their orders.

"We've been ordered to aquire for Noth a large chain, a cauldron, and the easy part...lots of skulls." Angealion said reciting the instructions they had recieved. "Since you were a hunter in your past existence, you would probably be better suited to getting the cauldron and chain."

"Whilst you get all da fun of gathering da skulls mon?" the Troll asked with a grin. "As much as I like you brudda, I can't be lettin you have all da fun."

Angealion gave a grin.

"Very well then. How about this. You grab the cauldron and I get the chain. I'm sure along the way some Crusaders will get in our way, then once we've gotten the items, we can hunt down more skulls."

"Dat be sounding like a plan." Zorendiil said. "By da way, what kinda Necromancer did you get?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean like what race was she? I got myself a fellow troll." Zorendiil said as they reached the wall.

"I got a High Elf. How did you know she was female?" Angealion asked as they dismounted and recalled their mounts into the crystals.

"Hmm, High Elf, Blood Elf. You all look da same to me." Zorendiil said. "But as to da girl part, I asked cus mine was also a girl...and she knows tings..tings about me that I've forgotten."

They stood in silence as they examined the wall.

"Same story with me brother. But I have seen our brethren with necromancers who are different race from them or same gender as them or both. We probably got landed with whoever brought us back into the world." Angealion suggested.

Zorendiil shrugged. "Could be, could be. But I tink you and I got landed with someting strange here. I tink they purposely sought us out to bring back."

Angealion waved his hand in frustration.

"That is a thought for another day. For now, let us be about our mission and get the things that the Plaguebringer needs for his projects."

"Aye, dat way we can be gettin back to da slaughter. Dese humans make some interesting noises if you gut dem just right." Zorendiil said with a grin.

With that, they ascended the wall and split up Zorendiil heading towards the inn, whilst Angealion headed for the blacksmiths.

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"This is the chain that Noth wants?" Angealion asked himself. It was a large chain made of iron. It looked like it was made to be an anchor chain judging by the size. "I could probably make something better...and I know nothing about blacksmithing."

Then he sighed. "If it's what the Plaguebringer wants, he's going to get it." Just as he was reaching for the chain he heard a small whimper behind a crate next to it. He looked down and saw a small child. It was a little girl, barely more than six years old with little blond pigtails set in pretty pink bows. She was clutching at a teddy bear in one hand and a blacksmiths hammer in the other. You could see the fear in her eyes as she froze there, like a deer staring down the barrel of a gun.

"Well hello there." Angealion said. If the girl screamed then he would have Scarlet Crusader's down on his head in a minute, and then they would be onto whatever Noth was trying to make...then they might interfere.

_"Show no mercy. Slaughter them all."_ a voice said in his mind. _"You are a force of death...no compassion..no mercy..."_

_"As you command my lord." _he thought to himself as he swiftly brought his sword down upon the girl, slicing from her shoulder straight through her body, ice forming after the blade passed through. He then severed her head from the body.

"Now to get that chain." he muttered to himself as he went to put the girls head into one of the magic bags all Death Knights had been granted. He stopped short, and instead called forth his mount and tied it to his saddle by her hair. He then dismissed the mount and took the chain. "Now to return to the slaughter." he said stepping from the blacksmiths. He looked at the direction of the main ghoul assault, the turned and headed deeper into the town, beheading any and all Scarlet Crusaders he could find. Young, old, man, woman, soldier, mage, priest, civilian it did not matter. All met death by his blade. And he collected each head as it flew into the air.

"Glory for the Scourge." Angealion said as he mounted again to meet up with Zorendiil before returning to Noth. The girls head bounced on his saddle as he rode.

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"How did you fare?" Angealion asked Zorendiil on the ride back to where Noth had stationed himself.

"Ah not too bad brudda. I found some families still living in da inn. Can ya believe da fools thought that hiding in da basement would save der hides?" Zorendiil said with a laugh. "Although, I gotta give dem credit. They were fully prepared to meet der ends, even da little children."

Zorendiil then noticed the girls head bouncing on Angealion's saddle.

"I see you got yourself a little trophy dere...but isn't it a little young for your tastes?" he asked.

"For some reason...I couldn't stick it in the bag. I think I needed to see it when I ride into battle..."

"Ah I get it now." Zorendiil said. "The Lich King reminded ya to be without mercy, and ya tink dat dat little girls head will remind ya of dat. No offence to da boss, but his voice can be a little bit distracting."

Angealion grinned at that. "True my Troll friend, very true. But come on, we better get a move on. Noth will be wanting his supplies."

With that they sped their mounts onwards towards the field where Noth was constructing his devices.

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It turned out that Noth was gathering the items to create a series of Plague Cauldrons. Improved ones according to him. Then again according to him he's one of the Scourges top Blightmasters and a supreme Necromancer.

With that Angealion and Zorendiil went their seperate ways and joined the fight against the Scarlet Crusade, returning every so often to Noth with more skulls that they had gathered. The Cauldrons had an extra ability. They converted the skulls of Scarlet Crusaders into a healing elixer that the Death Knights could drink. They also gave them a boost of unholy energies.

And so the battles continued. Some Death Knights were selected to assassinate key members of the New Avalon citizenry and others were chosen to discover the truth about something the Scarlet Crusade kept spouting about called the "Crimson Dawn".

As it turned out the normal troops didn't know anything useful about it besides some garbage about an "awakening guided by the Light". The only useful information they gathered from them was that a courier was coming from Hearthglen.

So the San'layn decided to send a few Death Knights behind the Scarlet lines. The Death Knights Koltira, Thassarian, and Orbaz had already established a base of operations in a house they had 'rented'. Angealion, Zorendiil and several others had been selected to go behind enemy lines.

"I detest this sneaking around." an Orc Death Knight grumbled. They were all sneaking through the forest on foot, next to the town in order to get to the house. Its amazing how arrogant the Scarlet Crusade is that they didn't consider that anyone would go through their flanks this easily. They probably didn't think that anyone would circumnavigate Tyr's Hand or be able to get through the forest. Its astounding how dense zealotry can make some races.

"Oh be quiet." Zorendiil said. "We're almost dere mon."

A few minutes later they arrived at the house. When they got inside they met up with Thassarian and Orbaz Bloodbane.

"It's about time you newbies got here!" Orbaz yelled. "What? Did you all stop to pick the flowers on the way here?"

Thassarian placed a hand on Orbaz's shoulder.

"The point is they're here now, so let's get them put to work." he said. "We have a mission for two of you. We need you to gather the schedule for the courier from within the Scarlet Hold. The rest of you will remain here to reinforce this position. Any volunteers?"

Before anyone could say anything, Orbaz pointed at Angealion and Zorendiil. "These two will do. The blood elf and troll look sneaky enough. Fitting for the Horde."

Angealion felt a little fury well up inside of him, but he didn't know why. He looked at Zorendiil and saw he felt the same way.

"We will get the information Lord Orbaz." said Angealion. As the two of them were leaving the building, Thassarian walked up to them.

"There's something else you can do for me. Koltira was captured when we were establishing this base. I need you two to ascertain if he is still alive or not. If he is, then see if you can rescue him."

"We'll do what we can Thassarian." said Zorendiil with a salute. This human at least could command respect, unlike Orbaz who simply demanded it.

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"Okay...looks like not even the continuous assault on their front lines is enough to divert the guards." Angealion muttered. They counted at least four guards at the doors, four on each wall, and had seen them swap out the guards several times. And a good number of priests moved often between the Hold and the Chapel.

"Ya mon...so which job you be wanting?" Zorendiil asked.

"I think we should stay together on this one...who knows how many soldiers and priests they have in there. Last I looked, their priests spells were quite damaging to us."

"Dat be true enough...plus aren't some of der commanders paladins as well?" Zorendiil asked.

Angealion nodded. "No matter. We still need to get in there and get the schedule and help Koltira if he's alive."

When there was only two guards at the front, the two of them pulled them over using dark magic and killed them. They then rushed forwards, and slaughtered the guards that were coming down the corridor.

"Now if I were a schedule, were would I be?" asked Zorendiil.

"Humans usually keep their papers in the main counsel room, which is up these stair and then up a ramp." Angealion said.

"I'll follow your lead on dis one brudda." Zorendiil said, theatrically bowing and motioning with his arms for Angealion to take the lead.

"Wise ass." said Angealion.

"I thought you'd neva notice." Zorendiil said without so much as a smile.

So the two of them ascended the stairs, killing any guardsmen they came across as quietly as possible. Eventually they reached the main counsel room. There they saw a massive table with screeds of papers.

"What is this?" asked a human who was going over the papers. He was garbed in ornate golden armour that looked like robes. "Foul servants of the Lich King!"

"I know I haven't taken a bath in about a week but I don't tink that's an excuse to be callin me foul." Zorendiil joked.

"I thought it was because of the rotten bit of meat hanging from your left tusk." Angealion commented, drawing his blade.

"What was dat doing dere? Why didn't you mention it?" Zorendiil asked getting ready to fight as well.

"I thought you knew." he shrugged. Meanwhile the human had grabbed a warhammer from the wall and was now marching upon them.

_"Remember who owns your souls Death Knights!" _a voice in their heads whispered.

The human charged at them, but they simply stood aside and let him run past, then stabbed him through the back in two places severing his spine. The fool collapsed onto the ground. He couldn't even call out because both Death Knights had cast their Strangulation spell on him.

"Now let's get that courier schedule." Zorendiil said. They both went over to the table and started searching the documents.

"Found it...along with a document saying that the Inquisitor is holding Koltira in the cellar beneath the Hold." Angealion said.

"Why would day write dat down?" asked the Troll.

"Because they were filing a report for Tyr's Hand so they could do a transfer. But they haven't started yet, so come on." he said as they went back down the stairs.

They found the door to the cellar and forced it open. Thy went down the stairs into the dungeon/cellar and saw Koltira chained to a bed.

"Oh good lord...why are you two here?" Koltira asked when they released him from the shackles.

"Thassarian was getting worried about you for some reason." Angealion explained.

"The fool. Now all three of us might be killed. Their High Inquisitor is coming down here to try and pry more information from me...and judging by the noise upstairs they've discovered that you two have killed their Commander. Now he'll come down here with all of his cronies."

"More heads for Noth's Plague Cauldrons." Zorendiil said readying himself for battle.

"I can erect an Anti-Magic Barrier. Neither of you step outside of it or you are simply target practice for their magic. I will recover my armour and weapons in the meantime." Koltira said as a purple dome appeared around them.

A minute later and about a dozen humans came charging down the stairs and started to hammer away at the barrier.

The Death Knights drew the priests towards them through means of taunting and deception and magic and slaughtered them, until eventually the High Inquisitor arrived. Then they killed him as well, in a very gruesome fashion.

"Very well done. I will create a distraction for you two so you can return to Thassarian and Orbaz with that courier schedule." Koltira said before running off.

The two of them followed suit, waited for Koltira to grab the guards attention, and then made their way to the base.

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When they got back to the staging post they saw a fire in the distance.

"Wonder what dat could be?" asked Zorendiil.

"Don't know. Don't really care to be honest. All I want to do is get this courier schedule to Orbaz and Thassarian and then get back to Acherus for some rest." Angealion said. He and Solana had been getting to know each other's histories these few days that hes been granted a rest period.

"Aye, I know what you mean mon. I also long to be back in the company of Arednel." Zorendiil said with a sly grin.

"It's nothing like that. Solana is teaching me things about the Scourge I never imagined...but I feel like she's not telling me something and its driving me insane. Somehow she knows me so well...even more so than a casual observer should." he said as they entered the building.

Before Zorendiil could reply Orbaz started yelling. It's kind of hard to stop him once he gets started.

"Well? Have you two dandilions gotten that courier schedule yet?" Orbaz bellowed.

"We have it right here Bloodbane." Angealion said, handing the parchments to Orbaz. "Thassarian, we managed to get Koltira out of the Hold. Last we saw he was slaughtering the guardsmen."

Thassarian gave a chuckle. Or as close to a chuckle as someone without emotions could get.

"These Scarlet fools may be deluded zealots, but by Ner'zhul they are organised. Look here! There's going to be a patrol coming from the Western Plaguelands today...you two go to the Chapel. Commander Plaguefist has something he wants to show you two there. Then you can get some rest. You won't be seeing any more action for today. Now be off with you."

Zorendiil and Angealion looked at each other, shrugged and then left for the Chapel. As they got closer they could see that it was the Chapel itself that was the source of the blaze they had spotted earlier. They spotted another human Death Knight. This one was garbed in brown plate armour, with a faceplate that covered the lower half of his head.

"Ah you must be the ones I asked Thassarian about. I want you two to go into that building there and execute a prisoner. Turns out the Scarlet bastards had captured some Argent Dawn members. Fools!" Plaguefist said laughing. "In particular, you should execute the troll in there," he said pointing at Zorendiil, "whilst you go after the blood elven one." he said pointing at Angealion. "That's an order."

Zorendiil shrugged, and they both made their way into the prison. They then made their way to the prisoners that Plaugefist had pointed out to them. Quite easy actually since there was only one troll and one blood elf prisoner in there. The troll was on the opposite end of the prison whilst the elf was relatively close to the door. The blood elf was female, whilst the troll was male.

"Go on then Scourge, do your worst. At least look me in the eyes when you-" she stopped as she saw the Death Knight in front of her. "It's...it's you isn't it? I'd recognise that face anywhere."

"I'm sorry...have we met mortal?" Angealion asked, readying his blade for her death.

"Have we met? You, I and Solana were an unstoppable force for the Sin'dorei. Think! Think back into your past! Remember Silvermoon and its majestic towers. Fight the Lich King's control! He would see this world reduced to ashes!"

Before Angealion could respond, Knight Commander Plaguefist yelled, "What's going on in there you two? What's taking so long?"

"Listen, just kill me. If you don't you'll die as well...just remember Silvermoon, and the sacrifices the Sin'dorei have made in the past..." the woman begged. Angealion kicked her in the gut, making her bend over. He then swung his sword down onto her neck, severing the head. The body lay there, blood flowing freely until it started to ooze and coagulate. He looked over to his comrade, and saw him pierce the trolls head with his polearm, and take the bodies necklace.

When they went back outside, Plaguefist looked them over and their trophies.

"Felt good killing them didn't it? You're not one of these mortal fools anymore. You're Scourge for all time. Remember that. Now I beleive Thassarian said you two could get a little rest after all this." he said, casting a portal to Acherus. "Get moving before I countermand his orders."

With that the two Death Knights stepped through the dark archway and then seperated to their seperate chambers.

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When Angealion returned to his chambers he found Solan waiting within...naked. All along her body were glowing runes.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Milord...is that..." she asked looking at the head in his hands.

"An Argent Dawn prisoner that the Scarlet Crusade had captured. She mentioned that you, her and I were a team before I became a Death Knight. What strikes me as most interesting is that she called you a Sin'dorei." he remarked. "Now, answer my initial question."

"Angealion..." Solana started. She sighed and then muttered a few words. The runes faded and her appearance changed slightly. Her eyes started glowing green for one thing. Other than that, only slight changes in her facial structure. She still resembled her other face, but only slightly. If you didn't look closely, you wouldn't know she had changed.

"So...my necromancer is not a High Elf but really a fellow Blood Elf. Why hide it?" he asked.

"Because before coming here, we battled against the Scourge here in the Plaguelands constantly. We even made a few incursions into Scholomance and Stratholme. In order to get here, I had to disguise myself."

"Whilst all I simply had to do was die." Angealion spat, as he advanced on her sealing the door behind him.

"No! I only came here to get you out! When we discovered that Acherus was where your body had been taken...I became a Cultist in order to bring you back." she said.

"Why? Is this how you know so much about me? Who was this woman? And who are you really Solana?"

"She was my sister...and I your wife." she answered. Angealion stepped back slightly.

"Sister...wife..." he said, grasping his head as images and pain seared through it.

"It's alright...I'm here for you." Solana said, daring to take a step forward.

"What about Zor? Were the people with him the same way as you or I?" he asked through the pain.

"Indeed. Except the troll he killed was more than likely his brother. Arednel is explaining the situation to him as well. You weren't supposed to see us like this...not yet." Solana said gesturing at her body and the inactive runes.

Within Angealion's mind, images of white pillars with red roofs and golden adornments travelled through his mind. The undead falling to his blade. Himself falling under an abomination's axe. Then the Lich King's voice raising him back from the dead.

"I serve the Lich King now Solana...but I will not reveal what I have learned. I still need you and I don't have time to train a new Cultist." he said with bitterness. "We will not speak of this again."

"...As you wish milord." Solana said, her eyes downcast.

Angealion then looked her over. "Since you are already attired for the task, I feel the need to relax. I wonder if a dead-man like myself can rise to the challenge?"

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A couple of days went by. Reports came in that a team of Death Knights had intercepted the courier, took his place and then slaughtered several dozen Scarlet Crusaders before they could flee on their ships. A few ships escaped nonetheless.

Then came the call. All Death Knights were to report to the main stronghold on the ground. The armies from Hearthglen and Tirisfal had arrived to support the Scarlet Crusaders in New Avalon. And we were to be joined by the Lich King himself as he marshalled the call to battle.

"My warriors of death! You have slaughtered legions beyond number and still your dark hearts crave more. Your hunger knows no end!"

The Lich King paused.

"There must come an end to all things, Death Knights. The Scarlet armies make their final stand against us. For them, there is no escape... no choice. And for this reason they will fight with a ferocity that you have yet to witness. Use this horn to call forth one of my wyrms. Climb upon its back and command it into battle. With it you will end the Scarlet Crusade."

There rose a great cheer from within the ranks of the dark host. Each Death Knight blew upon the horn next to the Lich King and mounted a great skeletal dragon. With the beasts, they flew over New Avalon, and close to Tyr's hand, using the dragons to rain down icey death and destruction. Some of the host went after the ballista that the Crusade had brought to bear against them, destroying them so that they couldn't bring down any of their number. But some ballista managed to bring down a few of the wyrms, killing several Death Knights.

But it was to no avail, for soon the entire army that the Scarlet Crusade had brought with them from all over Lordareon was slaughtered and now lay dead upon the field.

"Now there remains one final task for you my Knights of Acherus!" the Lich King said, as each Death Knight was outfitted with new armour. This new armour gave each Death Knight a more terrifying presence about them.

"This final task is to bring down the last Bastion of the Light here in my Plaguelands. You now march upon Light's Hope Chapel! The Scarlet Crusade here is finished. It's scattered remnants in Northrend will be hunted down for sport! But Light's Hope must be destroyed! It is an affront to my eyes! Highlord Mograine awaits you at the Browman Mill north of the Chapel. Go through the Noxious Glade to get there. And do not fail me my warriors!"

Another cheer greeted their master's command. And so as one the dread host called forth their Deathchargers, and rode through the tunnel into the Noxious Glade. When they arrived at the Browman Mill, the Death Knights formed the center of a massive undead army. Crypt Fiends, Abominations, Ghouls, Geists, Banshees, giant undead Constructs, and the strange Vrykul from the north stood alongside them, forming an army numbering in the tens of thousands.

And all Light's Hope had to guard it were a few battlemasters, a couple of druids, a mage or two, and around three hundred soldiers. No match for the overwhelming army of the damned.

Highlord Mograine gave a stirring speech, and then gave the order to charge. They rode into a slaughter. How could three hundred mere mortals hold against the overwhelming forces that the dead brought to bear? After the battle, Mograine called for those of us alive to surrender...then a man called Tirion Fordring threw some rebuttle at the Highlord about how he had become the monster his father had fought against, that he had fought against.

Then something strange happened. The ghost of the first Highlord Mograine appeared and started to talk with Mograine...or at least a past self of Mograine. Meanwhile every Death Knight held their heads as their own memories came to the fore...there was something about that place...But it was not to last. The Lich King came forth and banished the ghosts..then admitted that he had thrown them away, knowing they would be defeated...just to draw out Fordring!

Mograine charged at the Lich King, Ashbringer in hand, but was thrown aside. The Lich King then started to try and corrupt Fordring...but Mograine threw to him the Ashbringer. Then something amazing happened. The Ashbringer was cleansed of the Corruption holding it, and Fordring beat back the Lich King!

The Lich King fled back to Northrend, and Mograine pledged the now freed Death Knights to his destruction, renaming themselves the Knights of the Ebon Blade.

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"Solana..." Angealion whispered. "I'm coming."

"My brothers and sisters!" Mograine yelled. "We must retake The Ebon Hold from the Scourge before we do anything else. It will be difficult, but we will prevail against them! Death to the Scourge!"

They all opened portals into Acherus and stormed through, blades at the ready. What greeted them was the reserves of the army they had brought against Light's Hope. Including some that had been called forth from Naxxramas.

"Patchwerk want to play!" called out the giant Abomination.

"Do not try to bring that creature down on your own!" Mograine declared. "Work with your fellow Knights to bring him down! The rest of you, scoure the Necropolis and eliminate any and all Scourge within."

Angealion went into the transporter that would take him to the personal chambers section of the Ebon Hold as did several others. "I'm coming...hold on."

What they saw there was chaos. It turns out that several of the Necromancers were all agents for the Argent Dawn, or the Alliance or the Horde. And they were in the midst of fighting the Scourge. The Knights of the Ebon Blade joined the fray to aid their new comrades. Everyone was calling out for someone they could recognise.

"Solana!" Angealion called as he hacked his way through another ghoul.

"Over here!" he heard an answering cry. Angealion turned his head and saw her standing there atop some crates wearing a tabard of the Argent Dawn to show the living whos side she was on, sending out bolts of ice and fire against the undead horde. He ran over to meet her, taking down any who stood in his path...when suddenly an arrow brought her down.

"NO!" he roared. With renewed strength he barged through the undead lines, past the concave of the living and grabbed hold of Solana. "Solana...Solana!" he said, shaking her.

"Ange...you're here..and you broke free." she said.

"Yeah, so don't you dare die on me now." he said. "I need a medic over here!" he cried before Solana put a finger to his lips.

"Don't bother...the arrows they're using are Saronite bladed, and dipped in the most fatal of poisons." she explained. She reached over her head and brought out an amulet. "Take it."

Angealion looked at it. It was a golden oval on a silver chain.

"I remember this...I gave you this when I proposed...you said you would never take it off."

"Until I died..." Solana said. "Remember me...and defeat the Lich King. Take vengeance...for us..." she finished, before shuddering in his arms, and finally lay dead.

All around them the battle against the undead raged on. Angealion raised his head to the sky and howled his rage and sorrow...now a semblance of emotion had returned to them since they're regaining of their freedom. He looked out onto the battlefield, placed the amulet around his neck, and saw a Runeforge behind his dead wife. He plunged the blade into its fires and said, "Lichbane." The Runeforge caused the blade to ignite with a bright orange fire, replacing the cold chilling aura of Razorice.

With that done, he strode out to meet the undead, slaughtering them left and right, hacking them to pieces as they came close, searching for the one who had fired the arrow that had taken his loved one from him.

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It had been a week since the Knights of the Ebon Blade had retaken Acherus. Those of the living who had died aiding the Death Knights were interred in a tomb at Light's Hope to be forever remembered. Angealion stood at the banister in Acherus, overlooking the Plaguelands. He had changed out of the armour that the Lich King had placed upon him, and instead wore the armour his body had been brought in...but even that did not look the same as it once did. It had twisted within the dark energies of Acherus. The shoulderpads had once looked like birds heads, but had now elongated and had small ridges going along the center of them. The chestpiece followed a similar theme. The gauntlets were now spiked at the finger joints. The boots now looked like they had skulls on the top of them around the knee region. The legplates were the only things that had not altered, except in colour. The armour set had once been reds and golds...but the golds had all darkened, and the reds were now purple. But at least _this_ armour wasn't stained in the blood of the innocent. He still kept the sword though. That, the amulet, and the skulls adorning the saddle of his Deathcharger would serve as a reminder of what he fought against, should he ever forget.

Zorendiil and Arednel walked up to him. Zor was garbed in his old hunter gear...which had also twisted in Acherus, and was no longer the mail it once was. Suppose that was one upside to Acherus' energies. It strengthed the armours that lay within.

"You okay mon? You've been awful quiet since da whole Acherus take over." he said leaning over the bannister with him.

"Yeah...just mulling over my thoughts." he replied. "I'm still sorting the memories around in my head...the only good thing I can think of for this whole thing is that Solan's family and mine all died in the fight against Arthas at Quel'thalas and were not among those reborn as undead."

Zorendiil chuckled. "Ya mon, spose dat would be a blessin. Can't see ya explainin to them what's happened...well not long enough for you ta stay alive."

Arednel joined them. "It does look quite a sight doesn't it?" she asked. "Even with the plague of undeath running around, there are still some spots unaffected."

"I've noticed something about you Red." Angealion said, still staring out over the land below. "You don't exactly talk the same way as Zor or any of the other Trolls."

Arednel laughed at that. "I suppose all that time I spent with Solana rubbed some of her off on me. She hated trying to figure out whatever I was trying to say. Apparently she couldn't understand Orcish in a Troll accent."

Angealion smiled at that thought. "Well, at least she still lives on I suppose." he sighed. "So where are you two heading off to?"

"We were thinking of heading off to the Echo Isles, and help in the effort of retaking them for the tribe." Arednel said.

"Need any help?" Angealion asked.

"We should be okay...besides its more of an internal matter for the tribe." Arednel explained. "But should we start branching out to others for aid, we'll give a call."

"What about you mon? What you gonna do?" asked Zorendiil. "You gonna go back to Silvermoon, or head on over to Northrend?"

Angealion thought about it for a while. "To be perfectly honest with you...I'm not entirely sure. My soul, or whatever remains of it, burns for vengeance against the Lich King...but on the other hand I feel a need to return to Silvermoon. But in the case of Silvermoon I don't know how the people will react. Last time a Death Knight showed up in Quel'thalas...well this whole mess happened." Angealion said waving an arm to encompass the Plaguelands. "But I know I'm not yet ready to head out to Northrend...I'm not yet strong enough...think I'll hang around here, train up some more.."

Zorendiil and Arednel looked at each other. They then each took an arm and dragged him to the transporter to the Command Floor.

"What are you two doing?" he asked.

"We be draggin you to da Highlord. You're mopin ain't gonna help anybuddy." Zorendiil said, as they went through the transporter.

They dragged the blood elf to the Highlord who was, luckily, only reading a scroll about necromantic energies.

"Highlord Mograine, we'd like to ask you a favor." asked Arednel once they had gotten Angealion to his feet.

"What is it mage?" Mograine asked. He seemed a little annoyed.

"This Death Knight is at a loss for what to do with himself since the retaking of Acherus-" Arednel started.

"It be like dis Highlord. Angealion's wife snuck up here, brought him back as da Death Knight ya see before ya, but ended up getting killed in da battle against da Scourge when we were taking dis floating fortress from dem." Zorendiil interrupted in order to save time. Arednel could be long winded in her explanations...probably something to do with being a mage.

"I see. Death Knight Angealion." Mograine said, rolling the scroll up and facing him.

"Yes Highlord?" Angealion asked standing to attention.

"I believe Tirion was asking for a representative of the Knights of the Ebon Blade to accompany him to Northrend. If you feel the need for a mission, then I suppose this one will do. You will be expected to inform him of any new Scourge tactics. The Alliance and the Horde have never encountered the Vrykul or the Val'kyr before and will need all the help they can get..."

"I understand Highlord." Angealion asked.

"There is another reason why I think now that you might be good for this mission. Tirion will be spending his time with the Alliance forces until they reach Icecrown itself. It would be good to have a Horde representative along with him...but don't be too obvious about it. This Alliance is uneasy at best. And with Garrosh Hellscream leading the Horde in Northrend..." the Highlord left the sentence hanging in the wind.

"As you command Highlord." Angealion said with a salute. With that, Angealion left and took a Skeletal Gryphon down to Light's Hope, hoping to catch Tirion before he left for Northrend.

"As for you two...whilst I cannot command the mage to go anywhere, I can order you however Troll. Whilst Angealion deals with the Alliance, I want you keeping an eye on Garrosh." Mograine said pointing at Zorendiil.

"I gotta babysit dat Orc hot head?" he complained.

"I was willing to let you go to the Echo Isles, but then you dragged your friends problem to me, so now this is the price." the Highlord said, without even cracking a smile. "Besides, Thassarian and Koltira are also up in Northrend serving for the Alliance and the Horde respectively. I need a pair of unbiased eyes and ears up there. The Blood Elf will be sending me reports on Tirion's and the Alliance movements in the Howling Fjord onwards, whilst you will report to me on Garrosh's movements. Thrall has Varok Saurfang guiding him, but even so...a Hellscream is an unpredictable force of nature if unleashed. Make sure Saurfang can keep Garrosh on his leash."

"Aye Highlord." Zorendiil said, saluting the Highlord. Arednel sighed.

"I suppose I better go with you. Someone needs to make sure you can send those messages nice and quickly. And make sure you don't die on me again." Arednel stated, prodding her husband in the chest.

With that Arednel conjured a portal to Orgrimmar that she and Zorendiil stepped through. The Highlord muttered to himself and went back to his scrolls.

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Okay...so what did you guys think? To Zorendiil and Arednel, thanks guys for agreeing for your guys names to be used in this...if Zor hasn't told you about it yet Red, then take it up with him :) Um, if I've got the stuff between you and Zor inda wrong...you are free to scream and yell at me.

But for the rest of you, hopefully you enjoyed this. Would like to see what you guys think, so leave a comment. This will be this fanfics only chapter, so don't expect anymore. Well not from this one anyway ;p

So with that, leave a review after the tone.

Beeeep.

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